


The caged bird

by SpicyBiscuit



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Adult Jerome Valeska, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempted Murder, Dark Past, Domestic Violence, Edward Nygma Has Issues, Gaslighting, Jealousy, Jerome Valeska is a horrible boyfriend, M/M, Mama Fish, Murder, Not Canon Compliant, OCD, Oswald Cobblepot Adopts Martin, Other trigger warnings in the notes, Parent Oswald Cobblepot, Parental Fish Mooney, Past Child Abuse, Past Murders, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Jerome Valeska, Protective Edward Nygma, S3 Ivy Pepper, Sign Language, Threats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:01:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24610492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpicyBiscuit/pseuds/SpicyBiscuit
Summary: Oswald loved Jerome with his whole heart, and believed his boyfriend would never do anything to hurt him. Unfortunately, his son knew that was far from the truth. He knew what Jerome had done, even if his dad didn't. Ed and Martin only hoped Oswald would see the truth before it was too late.
Relationships: Oswald Cobblepot & Fish Mooney, Oswald Cobblepot & Ivy Pepper, Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma, Oswald Cobblepot/Jerome Valeska
Comments: 25
Kudos: 87





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This story covers topics such as Domestic abuse, gaslighting, and past child abuse. If you find this upsetting or triggering, it's best to avoid this story.

There were many interesting characters in Gotham, many of whom were regulars in the shop Ed worked at. The city was famous for being a crime capital, huge rates of poverty and menal illness in most low income areas. The Narrows was the most well known of these. Ed lived in an area not too far away from there. It wasn't as bad, but it was still poor and the buildings were low quality. He was lucky enough to get his apartment -which, admittedly, was more of a large, cold loft. He worked in a small corner shop a few streets away, one that was walking distance from both areas. 

Although Ed disliked the Narrows for numerous reasons, there were some interesting people that shopped here, though none of them compared to Oswald Cobblepot, a man in his early 30's with black hair and striking blue eyes. He reminded Ed of a vampire, with his porcelain skin and overly formal clothes. Or maybe it was the raven hair that was fluffed up ontop of his head, with a long fringe falling across his forehead. He had a son called Martin, who was equally as interesting. Martin was equally as pale, though the brown curls and sharp brown eyes indicated they were not related. Despite that though, they were two birds of a feather. Ed had grown fond of them both, eventually forming a friendship. 

The first few months that Oswald shopped there, Ed noticed little purple highlights hidden among the dark strands. They would fade, and reappear over the course of a few months until one day they just vanished. That was around the time he came in looking far more tired than usual (which really was a "haven't slept in a week" look). It was only a few days after that when Ed found out his mother had died, when Martin came in alone for candy.

After that, he stopped coming for another few weeks, and Ed grew worried. Even Martin stopped showing up for a while, so he was unable to ask anyone what had happened until a new face came in one day. A young man with ginger hair, who Ed wouldn't have known who he was if he didn't initiate a conversation as he went to leave. 

"Oh...you're Ed right? My son, Martin, talks about you" He had said after pausing and turning back once he noticed they were alone, "I'm Jerome"

"Nice to meet you. Is everything ok? They haven't been here in weeks" 

"Ozzie is just...devastated, poor thing. He loved his mother" Jerome frowned, but Ed couldn't help but feel like he was putting on an act. Something about the man just didn't feel right. "We've been trying to cheer him up for a while. He seems to be getting better though"

"That's good, I hope he feels better soon" 

The ginger nodded, "yes, me too"

"Well, um...could you tell him I said hi?"

He didn't miss the sudden suspicion in his eyes, which vanished as fast as it appeared. As Jerome forced a smile, Ed began to feel uneasy. This man wasn't who he said he was, and he didn't seem to like Ed at all. "Of course. It's nice to know he has a _friend_ who cares" 

When Oswald eventually started showing up again, everything seemed fine. In fact, he seemed a lot happier and healthier. For a few months, Oswald seemed like he was enjoying his life with his boyfriend and son. But then one day, he came in limping heavily, wincing with every step. His right foot was turned out to the side as he limped around the store, and Martin helped him pick up groceries. When Ed asked about it, Oswald told him it was a work accident. Once again, an uneasy feeling rushed through him when he saw Martin pull a face at his father's words. Was it just a work accident? He found himself thinking back to his encounter with Jerome, but didn't voice his concerns. Maybe he was just self-projecting his own experiences onto the couple, or maybe he was subconsciously finding similarities between them.

"Why haven't you gone to the hospital?"

"I can't afford the treatment. Besides, I can still move around. It just hurts" 

"Osw-"

"Look, friend. I appreciate the concern, but I'm perfectly fine" Oswald offered a smile, but Ed was beginning to doubt a lot of things, and was growing more and more concerned for his friend. Not wanting to push it any further, he just smiled and packed up the rest of the items trying to ignore the voice in his head. 

The feeling did not go away when he saw the couple come in, with Jerome's arm around his boyfriend a bit too tightly, or when Martin went shopping for his dad because he was "busy". He often found himself thinking of his childhood. His dad was a horrible man who hurt him and his mother. Who decorated Ed's body in bruises and scars, and who couldn't seem to cope with his son being gifted. When the abuse got worse, Ed began developing several mental health problems, including his obsessive-compulsive behaviour, and the other Ed that would appear as a voice or an apparition. Jerome reminded him of his father. Just the look he had when he asked him to pass along a message made his skin crawl. 

Eventually, his suspicions were confirmed when Oswald's sleeve rode up as he handed over the change, and Ed saw the dark bruises covering his wrist. His heart stopped as he noticed it was consistent with that of a hand. "Did...did Jerome do this?" Ed asked in a panic as Oswald shoved the sleeve down hastily. 

"No it was...something else."

"He can't do tha-" 

"I can take care of myself" Oswald took the bag and grabbed his sons hand, "come on Martin" 

Ed stared helplessly as Oswald left, his heart pounding in his chest as his father's voice began to ring in his ears. He saw flashes of his mother crying, cowering away from that brute as he approached her with a belt before his eyes, then it changed to his father stalking towards him. 

_"He didn't mean to hurt me, he was just angry"_ her words echoed through his head as he stood there frozen for what felt like hours. His friend was in danger, and Ed wouldn't let another person suffer as he had. 

Oswald needed his help.

_____

The house was eerily silent as the two entered.

Martin rushed upstairs to his room, as Oswald headed towards the kitchen to put the shopping away, ears straining to hear any other noise. He was surprised when Jerome finally spoke from the doorway, as the man wasn't always that good at being quiet.

"I saw you today with detective Gordan" Jerome said eyes, burning into Oswald's back as he bit the inside of his cheek. 

"Jim's an old friend, I told you that" He sighed and placed the bag on the side, and began pulling the items out. Having his back to Jerome during a fight was a bad move, but he just hoped his partner would understand it was not a gesture of guilt. He heard heavy footsteps approach slowly.

"No one knows you, like I do. I know your faults, your past, and everything you've been through. Other people won't understand, but you know I do. We've been through so much, Oz. And no one will love you as much as I do, you know that right?" He felt him stop right behind him, so close yet not touching.

"Of course" Oswald responded stiffly, still unpacking, "I know. Jim was just asking for advice on a case, that's all. I promise" 

"I just worry. Men like Jim have no problem with taking advantage of people like you. They get what they want and leave. I just don't want him to hurt you" Jerome leant down to kiss his shoulder, snaking his arms around his waist. "I know what he's like. He wants to clean up Gotham, but doesn't mind accusing the innocent of horrible crimes, or pretending to be friends with someone like you for information. Has he ever once done something for you in return?"

Oswald didn't answer. The words hit an insecurity inside him, the question that he would frequently ask himself. Was Jim actually his friend, or was he being played for a fool? Jim was more than happy to ask for a favour, but he never once helped Oswald out when he asked. Maybe Jerome was right. Maybe their friendship was one huge lie. 

"Face it...he doesn't care for you. The sooner you realise that, the less you'll be hurt when he shows his true colours. I'm sorry, hun" 

They stood in silence for a while, as Oswald's heart ached. Jim really didn't care about him. Jim only saw him as another criminal, not an equal. Maybe it's better if he just broke it off...

A sound from behind caught both men's attention, and they turned to see Martin stood in the doorway. He had that expression on his face, something between a glare and a grimace. Jerome moved away from his boyfriend and walked towards the boy in long strides, giggling sharply as he reached him. "This boy. Quite the scamp, huh?" He patted him on the head with more force than needed, before walking back into the front room. 

Martin gave his father a look, but Oswald lowered his gaze to the floor for a few seconds before turning back to the shopping. "Could you give me a hand please?"

His son walked over and began to put the shopping away, frequently glancing at his father who remained silent. They both knew Jerome had never physically harmed Martin, but would often direct passive aggressive gestures towards him. Touches that were rougher then needed, placing an item down too hard. It was as if he liked trying to intimidate the boy. But Martin was strong, and wasn't falling for the clown's performance. Unfortunately, Oswald didn't know what Jerome was really like towards him. The quiet threats, the glares, and the most disturbingly, the one time Jerome had actually threatened his life with a metal bat. If Oswald hadn't come in when he did, maybe it wouldn't have just been a threat. 

Martin worried for his father more than his own life. Oswald was vulnerable when they had met, and Jerome had used that to his advantage. When they lost his mother's house to overdue bills and had to move in, Martin's distrust only grew. When the jealous fights over small things began, he could only think back to his birth parents and how this was the same thing all over again. He just hoped they would both make it out alive this time. 

_____

_They had met in the streets one night. A storm raged on as Oswald headed home from Fish's, a coat wrapped tightly around him as he fought against the wind. His umbrella had broke several streets ago, so the wind and cold rain battered his face as he strained to see where he was going. A loud crash from an alleyway to his side caught his attention, and he paused to make sure there wasn't some junkie about to jump him. Instead, he saw a young boy between the bins huddling for warmth._

_Oswald never really liked children, and had half a mind to keep walking. But there was something about the boy that drew him to him. He ducked into the alley, relieved as the wind was blocked by the building, and approached him carefully. "You there. Boy" The boy looked up slowly, and Oswald saw the blood splattered across his face. The boy was young, brown hair falling in messy curls, brown eyes soft yet sharp. He was almost like a doll._

_"What...are you alright?"_

_He didn't reply. Only shook his head slowly._

_"Do you speak?"_

_He opened his mouth, hesitated, then shook it again._

_"Do you have a place to stay?"_

_Another shake._

_"Would you like to come home with me?" The boy stared at him hesitantly, obviously cautious about going home with a stranger for a number of reasons, "Whatever you have done, or whatever happened won't matter, I promise. Besides, it's not very nice out here is it?"_

_He considered for a while, before slowly nodding and getting up._

_His mother fussed over them both when they came through the door, any worry about who the strange boy was disappeared when she saw the blood on his face. And when he took the coat off, no one questioned the blood splattered over his shirt. He still didn't talk as she ran him a bath, or when she gave him some of Oswald's old pajamas that she was keeping for some odd reason. Oswald ended up giving him some paper in hopes of communicating._

_"What's your name?"_

_"Martin"_

_"What happened?"_

_"Daddy killed mommy and Ollie"_

_Oswald frowned, "Is that where the blood came from?"_

_Martin made no attempt to reply at first, and just stared at the paper thinking. He then slowly wrote, "Some of it"_

_Heart skipping in his chest, Oswald asked him what he meant but Martin didn't respond._

_"Martin, whatever happened you can tell me. I won't tell anyone, trust me"_

_But Martin just shook his head again. Gertrud came in with some tea, and the three just sat in silence as the wind and rain battered the house. She would glance at Martin softly, obviously concerned for the boy as he stared into the tea. After a while, Oswald took him to his room and allowed him to sleep in his bed. As he went to leave to go sleep on the sofa, Martin had grabbed his shirt._

_"Yes?"_

_The brunette considered something for a few seconds, before he slowly wrote his response._ _Oswald felt his heart stop as he was handed the paper, and read the words._

_"I killed him"_

_______

It was a few more days before they went back to the store, and Ed kept his concerns to himself as he smiled and greeted them. Martin walked over to the counter to talk to him, as Oswald hobbled through the store with a basket. Then, after a few minutes, he joined the two at the till with a smile. "So, what were you two discussing?"

"I invited Ed to come with us to the café. He said yes" Martin signed, and Ed watched the smile fade from the man's face, his expression shifting into some sort of discomfort and hesitance. But there was a small amount of fear in the look that made the two pause. Oswald opened and closed his mouth a few times as he looked between them, before letting out a defeated sigh.

"Fine, ok. When do you get off?" 

"10 minutes"

Oswald nodded and watched as his groceries were scanned, and said nothing else as he paid and bagged the items. As Ed watched the two leave and wait outside for him, he couldn't help but feel guilty over accepting. Was he putting them in danger? Is that why he looked so scared about having lunch? Jerome's suspicious look appeared in his mind, and he clenched his jaw as he went to sign out. 

The café they ended up at was a rather cozy building, nestled between a bakery and some comic book store. It was a short walk from the store, and Oswald looked rather glad once he sat down at a table. Ed asked what they wanted, and ordered with the help of Martin. He bought the drinks, and a cookie for Martin, before walking back to the table to his friend, who was glancing out the window with unease. 

"Oswald, are you alright?" 

"Hm? Oh yes, I'm alright. Thank you" He smiled as he was handed his tea, and looked at his son who was already eating the cookie. "Don't spoil your dinner"

Martin just nodded, and Ed smiled at the two. "It's been a while since I've gone out with friends. Thank you for inviting me"

"It's nothing. Martin was right to invite you. I haven't done this in a while either" The expression on his face didn't quite match his eyes, but there was some sort of relief in them, "You're probably one of my only friends at this point anyway" 

"You too. I mean, not many people like me they think I'm weird, so it's good you feel the same way as I feel about you. You're really interesting, Oswald. And so are you Martin" 

The boy grinned happily at them, and Oswald quickly realised it had been a while since he saw his son smile like that. When he was at home he would often just keep a blank face, and Oswald wasn't always good at cheering people up. He looked genuinely happy for the first time in weeks, and it broke his heart knowing he couldn't give that to him more often. As Ed and Martin started talking to each other, Oswald felt his gaze drifting back out the window. He was on edge, but no matter how much he tried to calm himself he couldn't. He couldn't help but notice a familiar looking car across the street, and he had to look away before he began panicking. They had been caught. 

From the moment Oswald stepped through the front door, he knew something was off. It was as if the house was full of tense static, like the one before a thunderstorm. It made the hair on the back of his neck prickle, as he knew immediately he had messed up by letting Ed come with them. And he knew the car parked across from the café wasn't just his paranoia.

"Why don't you go and finish your homework" He told his son, who hesitantly nodded and ran upstairs. Oswald could tell that Martin could feel it too. "Jerome?" He called as he walked into the front room, and saw him stood there. The expression on his face was blank, but the posture and glint in his eyes only confirmed his anger.

"I saw you...with that Nygma guy from the store. Care to explain?" Jerome asked, slowly walking towards him.

"Martin invited him. I didn't have the heart to turn him down" 

"You always have an answer for everything don't you Oswald?" He hummed in a low voice, now towering over his boyfriend, "Jim was just looking for help on a case. Ed was invited by Martin. Do you ever take responsibility? Do you like lying to me?"

"I-I swear, I'm being honest!" Oswald cried, "besides, you were following me again. Don't deny it I saw your car. Talk about trust but you don't even trust me"

"Well, you're not giving me much reason to trust you right now are you? Going on café dates, inviting your 'friend' to your work when its not open. You worry me. Am I not good enough?"

Oswald frowned, "Its not like that, I swear. They're friends, please...I'm sorry I upset you"

The ginger smiled gently at his partner, but his eyes just sparkled with danger. He pulled Oswald close for a hug and leant into his ear. "You're still my little birdie. Aren't you Oz?" He growled softly, fingers slowly digging into the skin of his arm.

"Always, my love" 

The bed thudded loudly against the wall with each thrust, as Oswald stared at the ceiling trying to ignore the grunts in his ear. In all honesty, Oswald didn't enjoy it when it was like this. When Jerome was jealous and was trying to make a point. He wasn't even sure how he felt in the moment as he just stared at the same patch of ceiling, but he was glad Jerome wasn't angry anymore. His leg stung as it was bent over his shoulders, but all he did was wince quietly and let it happen. 

Suddenly, Jerome bit down on his neck hard. Oswald held back a whimper as he squeezed his eyes shut, pain shooting through his neck and shoulder. When he opened them again he saw blood around Jerome's mouth, and could feel the warm liquid rolling down his skin. The clown roughly kissed him, Oswald's stomach turned as he tasted his blood on his lips. Jerome didn't even have to say anything for him to know what it meant. _You're mine._

They layed in bed together once they had finished, Jerome already asleep with his arm curled around the shorter man. Oswald just layed there and breathed quietly, unsure if he wanted to risk moving. The hold was tight, and he was unsure he could escape it without waking him up. As the blood beginning to dry on his neck slowly became uncomfortable, Oswald decided he would try. It took longer than he wanted it to, but he eventually managed to slip free without waking his boyfriend.

He put his pants back on and hobbled to the bathroom to clean up the bloody mess down his neck, the muscle throbbing in pain when he turned his head to get a better look. The bite looked deep and would definitely leave some sort of mark, likely scarring. Tears stung his eyes as he pressed a tissue to it, and his eyes drifted across his body. There was similar bites on his shoulder and one in the middle of his collar bone, as Jerome would become jealous whenever he was around another guy. But this one was higher than the rest, one he wouldn't be able to hide under his clothes. It was obvious this was a warning for anyone was hanging around with. 

He squeezed his eyes shut, gripping the edge of the sink as he trembled, breathing deeply to try and calm down. Then he broke, and began sobbing. It felt hopeless, but one day. One day he'll escape. He had been saving up money, and soon they would just dissapear away from here.

Then, there was a sound behind him, and he spun around in a panic expecting Jerome, but it was just Martin. "Dad?" He signed. 

Oswald rushed forward and hugged his son close crying, "I'm so sorry" 

It would be fine if it was just Oswald, but not only had he put Martin in a horrible situation, he was putting him through the exact same thing his parents put him through. He couldn't believe he had done this to him again. Jerome hadn't hurt him, but he was scared one day that would change. Something deep inside him knew that Jerome's words were just poisoned lies, but some part of him just wanted to believe that he still loved Oswald as he used to. As Oswald knew, love was his strength, but also his weakness. 


	2. Chapter 2

Fish Mooney was due to come back today, and Oswald wanted everything to be perfect. He had made sure they were stoked up in the club, made sure the performers were suitable, and even searched for an hour for his best tie. She had entrusted him with the night, and he wasn't about to let her down after all she had done for him. The final thing to sort out was a bouquet for her. A nice "welcome back" gift as he hadn't visited her in the hospital. 

Oswald travelled across town to his usual florist, a shop where he would get the flowers for his mother's grave from. Well, it was half a florist half a small garden shop. His friend Ivy worked there, and she was always dedicated to making the best arrangements, even if it was just something simple like a bunch of lillies tied in a purple ribbon. She was rather eccentric, acting more like a child than a young woman, and had a huge obsession with flowers and nature. Ivy didn't have many friends either, but she seemed to prefer plants over people anyway. Her bubbly personality was often annoying, and Oswald couldn't stand it when she treated him like a child when he was several years older, but he still could appreciate her quirks and professionalism. 

Jerome never really complained about Ivy as much as he did with his other friends, likely due to the fact that Oswald was gay so he wouldn't have any attraction to her. But he still held a certain hostility towards the woman, especially when she began telling Oswald how he wasn't a nice guy and that he gave her bad vibes. Still, Oswald appreciated her company when he could tolerate her personality, and refused to buy flowers anywhere else. 

"Pengy!" Ivy called as he walked in, waving at him as if she was trying to get his attention. Which was stupid, considering no one else had that nickname. Oswald hated being called Pengy, but once Jerome had adopted it from her in retaliation, he had no choice but to accept it. Luckily, Ivy had no idea that he had given up protesting the nickname for that reason, instead of him being a good friend. She seemed happy enough when he stopped complaining so he never told her why. 

He walked over to the counter, briefly glancing at the tiny cactus she was holding. It looked like she was growing it from a cutting, "Good afternoon, Ivy. I need a nice bouquet for someone getting out of hospital"

"Who's the special someone?" She grinned, and he cringed internally as her ginger hair fell over her shoulders into the plant and wet soil.

"My boss. I didn't visit her in hospital, so I want to give it to her as a welcome back gift instead" 

"I know just the flowers! Don't worry Os, she'll love it" Ivy moved to collect an assortment of different flowers varying in colour, and Oswald sighed as he checked his watch. As he watched her cut some black wrap, he decided on one last detail. 

"Ivy...could you..." He hesitated. Would it be too obvious? Would it be weird or would Fish find it sweet? "Could you add some lillies?" 

A gentle smile played at her lips as she walked over to a familiar bucket, "of course" 

They stood in silence as Ivy began to arrange the flowers humming to herself, before wrapping them and tying it neatly with a red ribbon. Oswald smiled as he saw the final product. It was beautiful.

_____

Ed leaned against the counter, spaced out as he thought about Oswald. Everyday he grew more concerned about his friend, and Ed wasn't sure how he could help. Oswald looked scared when he was at the café. He looked scared when Martin invited him. But Ed knew it would be hard to convince him to leave. Just as his mother hadn't even attempted to leave, even after the police got involved. Maybe she was scared of what his dad would do, or maybe it was because she just didn't believe she could exist by herself. Henry Nashton was known to be violent. Some didn't believe he would harm his wife and son, but he did. Frequently. And perhaps he wouldn't have thought twice about killing them if they tried to leave. 

Ed didn't know the reasoning behind Oswald staying with such a man. Was it because he loved him, or was it because he was scared? He didn't know what sort of things Jerome was doing. If he knew, he would find it easier to formulate a plan to get them to safety. One thing he knew though, was that Oswald was nothing like his mother. Whereas she would stand by and allow Ed to be abused, seemingly relieved it wasn't being directed at her, Oswald genuinely cared for Martin. Ed knew his friend would do anything for his son and his safety. 

He was snapped out of it when he heard the bell jingle, signaling a new customer. "Hey, Ed" Jim greeted as he walked into the store, Harvey trailing along behind him with an annoyed expression. Jim wasn't a regular, but he would come in often enough for them to get acquainted. 

"Afternoon, Detectives" He smiled and straightened up as they approached. The nature of his and Ed's relationship was confusing. Sometimes Jim seemed to like him, other times it seemed like he was annoyed. Ed had been trying to apply for a forensics job at the GCPD, but there apparently wasn't an opening yet. "What can I do for you?" 

"We're looking at a suspect in a double homicide. Have you seen this man around?" A small polaroid was handed to him, and he studied the image for a few seconds. The man looked to be in his early twenties, skin pale with a weird grey tinge, dull green eyes, and blonde hair. His clothes were too large for his scrawny body, and Ed began to wonder how long ago this was taken. He knew this man, he was a regular. But why would he kill two people? That didn't seem like him at all. 

**_"People would say the same thing about you"_** the other Ed whispered in his brain, and he shook his head to clear the thoughts. No, he wouldn't think of that now.

"What's the nature of the attack?" 

"Just answer the question" Harvey snapped as he moved away to scan the shelves. Ed glanced up at him, holding back the urge to glare, before handing the photo back to Jim. 

"He comes from the narrows, that's all I know" 

The detective nodded as he pocketed the picture, "Thank you, Ed" 

As the two headed for the door, Jim hesitated and turned back, "We're going to Fish Mooney's tonight at 8. Would you like to come?" 

Both Ed and Harvey were thrown off by his invitation, and Ed tried to hold back a laugh when he saw Harvey whip around at lightning speed. He wasn't sure he'd seen him move so fast. At first he didn't really want to go, but then he remembered that Oswald worked there. It would be nice to see him again after yesterday.

"Sure, I have no plans. Thank you" He smiled, ignoring Harvey's groan, and watched them step out the door.

"Why would you invite him?"

"I was being nice" 

Once Ed's shift was over, he headed home to try and sort out what he was going to wear. Fish Mooney's was a nightclub, so he would have to find some suitable clothes. His closet was small and there wasn't a huge variety to choose from, much less casual smart clothes. He frowned. He didn't want to be under dressed or over dressed, and he wanted to look nice for Oswald. Frustration started to get the best of him, so he threw all the clothes onto the bed and reorganizing them instead to try and settle his nerves.

Once he had finished, he sat on his bed still feeling anxious and frustrated. And, once he checked his watch and realised it took 20 minutes to complete it, the feelings only grew. Now he had less time to prepare! Ed got up and began pacing. 8 steps one way, 8 steps the other way, until he finally began feeling better. He shut his eyes briefly, took a deep breath, then grabbed his old, green sweater from a hanger, and his good pair of pants.

These would have to do.

_____

Oswald's leg bounced anxiously as he leant against the bar, one hand wrapped around a glass as he watched the door. Butch had left to get Fish half an hour ago, and still hadn't returned or responded to his messages. Was something wrong, or were they just running late? He glanced about the club, over at the people who had turned up, and to the woman on piano as her wife sang an Amy Winehouse song. He had done so much for this night, it couldn't go to waste. As he knocked back the rest of his drink, he heard the door open. 

It wasn't Fish, but any disappointment faded before it could form when he saw his friend awkwardly looming at the entrance. Ed's worried face softened as he saw Oswald, and he instinctively began tugging at his sweater to smarten it out. 

"Welcome, my friend! Please come in" Oswald grinned and stood up, moving forwards to greet him properly. Ed shifted closer. Loud, busy environments weren't his forte, but he wanted to be here. He'd put up with it for Oswald. 

"I hope it's ok...me being here. I was invited and-"

"Nonsense you're always welcome. It's so wonderful to see you" Oswald smiled wide, and patted his arm, "uh, a drink perhaps?"

The two moved to the bar and the bartender collected Oswald's glass and a new one, before carefully filling it with whatever Oswald was drinking before. Ed didn't say anything. He just hoped he would like whatever it was. "How have you been?"

"Good... How are you?" He turned to his friend and was suddenly mesmerised by his eyes. The lighting of the club made them look different, almost a sea green. They were bright with joy as he stared at Ed with a small smile.

"Very well, thank you" 

As he nodded to reply, his eyes suddenly caught onto a mark on his neck. It wasn't a just bruise, or the gentle lovebite of a boyfriend, but a deep, possessive bite into the flesh. The skin around the imprint it was a swirl of purples and blues, indicting it had happened over a few hours ago. It stood out on the paleness, and Ed's heart squeezed as he knew it was Jerome's doing. Without even realising he was doing it, Ed reached out to touch the wound. 

_**"Who does he think he is?"**_ The distinctive, gruff voice of his darker self growled within his mind, _ **"You know why he did that, Ed. We have to step in before it gets worse!"**_

"Ed?" Oswald's confused voice snapped him out of a daze, and he moved his hand away with an apology.

_**"He's no better than your father. It would probably be easier this time"** _

"Uh...fun fact: The purpley-blue colour in bruising is from reduced oxygen to the Hemoglobin in your blood. Your bruise indicates it was recent, but not within the past few hours" Ed recited, trying to push the negative thought away. He was different. He wasn't that boy anymore. 

"Oh" Oswald shifted uncomfortably and sipped his drink, "That's interesting..."

_**"Why should he have to suffer like you did! Just let me off that ginger snap! Oswald will thank you for it. And then he'll be ours"** _

Trying to push the voice away, he blurted out a riddle, "What's black and white and red all over?" 

"Wh-"

"Penguin with a sunburn" 

Oswald gave him a look that was stuck between amusement and discomfort, as Ed's anxiety grew. He was upsetting his friend. What was he doing? He began drumming an individual finger against the counter 8 times, before switching the finger and repeating. Oswald opened his mouth to say something, but the door caught his attention.

Once again it wasn't Fish, but Oswald was both happy and nervous when he saw the two detectives enter. "How wonderful to see you, detectives" He said, trying to ignore the instinctive feeling of dread when he looked at Jim, who just forced a smile and nodded his head in greeting.

"Quite the party, huh Penguin?" Harvey said, "Fish is getting out tonight, right?" 

"She should be. The doctors said she's recovered nicely. This is what the celebration is for, Bullock" 

"Yeah well, I can't believe she would leave such a thing to you. After all, you're just an umbrella boy. Why not let Gilzean handle it?" 

Oswald clenched his jaw in anger, but tried to keep calm. He could tell Harvey was just trying to provoke him, "Fish wanted to see what I could do. Call it a test, if you will" 

"Right, right" The detective nodded flatly, and walked to the bar as Oswald turned his attention to Jim.

"Did my tip help you? Did you solve the case?" Oswald asked him, trying to block out the nagging voice inside his head that tried to remind him about how he should've ended the friendship. He just couldn't do it. Jerome was right, but Oswald was still holding onto some hope their relationship wasn't unrequited. Maybe Jerome's concern came from a good place, however. After all, Oswald used to have a huge crush on him. 

"Huh? Oh. Yeah, we have a lead. But we haven't caught him yet" 

"I do hope you...catch..." Oswald trailed off as someone entered the club, the door shutting noisily behind them. His smile quickly faded as his eyes followed them.

"What in the hell" Ed heard Harvey mumble from beside him, and before he had the chance to turn he heard who it was.

"Ozzie!" Jerome walked over and pulled his boyfriend into a tight hug and a kiss, before looking at the two, "Oh! What a _lovely_ surprise"

"Jerome? What are...you two are together?" Jim asked in confusion and concern, earning a puzzled frown in response.

"Yes?" 

"You two know each other?" Oswald knew Jerome had encountered Jim, but he didn't realise they had properly met. 

"He thinks I killed my parents" The ginger shook his head, "I loved them detective. I would never even try to harm them, I swear" 

Jim didn't look convinced, "Yeah well, we'll see about that won't we" he sighed before joining his partner at the bar. Ed looked at the two, as Oswald turned to Ed to excuse them. He moved away and frowned at his boyfriend.

"Where's Martin?" 

"He's at home"

"You know I don't like him being left alone"

"Relax Pengy, he's old enough and smart enough to protect himself" Jerome put his hands on his arms with a smile, but Oswald sighed in frustration.

"I don't doubt that, but I still don't like him being alone. I don't trust other people" 

"What's wrong with the neighbourhood? I know you like to act like you're more than you are, but it's not like you came from a better place, Ozzie" 

Ed frowned watching the two argue. Jerome was trying to divert the argument to pin Oswald's worry on some unfair assumption of others, probably to get him to apologise instead. Even with this act he was putting on, Ed could see what he was really like. And he hated it. 

"It's ok. Hey, I'll get us some drinks" The ginger eventually smiled and headed towards the bar. Oswald sighed and looked at Ed tiredly, before walking back over. 

"Come sit with us. I think it would do you both good if you got to know each other better"

"I don't think-"

"Please..." He shot a quick glance over his shoulder towards Jerome, before lowering his voice, "He sees you as a threat, Ed. I need you to try and make him see you're just a friend. Could you do this for me, please?" 

Worry shimmered in those pretty eyes, and Ed had no choice but to agree. He thought it was dangerous still, but maybe it was possible to convince Jerome that he only had good intentions. Oswald's face broke into a smile when he said yes, and he ushered him towards a booth. Jerome walked back over and 'attempted' to hide the disappointment on his face as he slid in beside his boyfriend. Oswald was now blocked from leaving unless Jerome moved. 

"So, you two are friends?" The clown asked almost immediately. It was a wonder how his jealousy wasn't always picked up by other people. 

"Yes. For a few months, though we only really talk when he comes into the store" 

"Is that your only job?"

"Yes...I want to go into forensics. I'm waiting for a spot to open, or for my application to be approved" 

Those cold eyes scanned him for a few seconds, and Ed fought back the urge to break eye contact. No, he wouldn't back down. "What's your job?"

"I sometimes help out with Haly's travelling circus when they come back into town. My parents were from there before they were murdered...so they're like my family" 

Suddenly, Ed felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle. Haly's circus had a major homicide investigation a while back when Lila Valeska and Paul Cicero were found brutally murdered one night. Ed found the case particularly interesting when he saw it on the news, but realising Jerome was Lila's child was setting off all sorts of alarm bells. His name was never published in the newspapers, though many believed the son was involved. The son who was sitting opposite him and was dating his best friend. _I loved them detective. I would never even try to harm them, I swear._

He felt sick. 

He caught Oswald's eyes before looking back to Jerome, who was just staring with an innocent smile on his face. But the smile did not reach his eyes. "Ooh!" Jerome suddenly perked up as a new song played, slamming his hands on the table which made them both jump. "Lets dance, Ozzie!" Once again the friends locked eyes, before Oswald took his boyfriend's hand and got up to slow dance. 

After several hours of drinking, talking and dancing, Butch finally came back to inform them that Fish wasn't being discharged tonight. Oswald just burst into tired laughter, before leaning onto Jerome "Take me home, I want to sleep" 

"I can drive you. You've both been drinking and-" 

"Oh, I'm sober. Goodnight" Jerome smiled and wrapped Oswald's arm over his shoulder. Ed realised Jerome had hardly drank the entire time. It was only Oswald that was heavily intoxicated, to the point we was wobbling where he stood. "You silly bird, let get you home" 

They left the nightclub, and Jerome helped him into the car before driving home. Oswald rested his forehead against the glass and stared out at the world as it passed by, occasionally laughing to himself. "I did so much...so much and she didn't come"

"The world is disappointing, Ozzie. You're too good for her anyway"

"I...But she's been like a mother...how can I get rid if her now?" 

Jerome didn't respond right away. Him and Oswald shared different experiences of what a mother was, so his partner would cherish the bond more. "She's not your mum. Your mum is dead. She's just your boss, you need to separate those feelings from her" 

This time Oswald didn't reply for a few minutes, just staring at the partially blurred colours of the streets, before he mumbled in a soft voice, "Jerome?"

"Yes?"

"I love you"

"I love you too"

Jerome found it surprisingly challenging to help Oswald walk in his drunken state, but perhaps it was to be expected from the fact that one leg was crippled so his balance was always off. He found himself half dragging the man out of the car, and by the time he got to the stairs he just decided to carry him instead. When they got to the bedroom, Jerome helped him undress before climbing into bed with him.

Oswald giggled as he looked at him, exhaustion and intoxication taking over "I can't believe I found someone like you" 

"Well, I can't believe I found such a pretty bird who loves me" Jerome reached up to stroke some hair out of Oswald's face as he blushed. 

"Oh stop" 

He grinned and kissed him, before moving on top of him and kissed his jaw, before moving to his ear, "You're very pretty, Ozzie" 

His partner giggled again, flustered at the compliments, though rather delirious. He bit his ear lobe before chuckling himself, "Did you see Jim's face when he saw me? That man wants me behind bars for sure" 

"Well, it's not like you did anything. He's got no reason to lock you up" 

But as Jerome suddenly giggled into his ear, Oswald's hair began to stand up. The atmosphere in the room shifted, suddenly feeling cold. "Oh that's where you're wrong, Pengy. I killed them both. I stabbed that whore over and over and over until the life drained from her eyes. And I drove that knife so far into that old bastard's eye that most of the handle had disappeared when they found him. And I _loved_ it. They got what they deserved" 

Oswald's heart stopped. It felt like someone had thrown ice water over him, and he was suddenly alert and awake. Jerome moved his head back to look at the bird, and only saw his eyes wide in terror. His grin widened, and Oswald tried his best to stay calm. But his breathing was becoming ragged, and panic quickly set in. 

It felt like more of a threat than a confession. Jerome knew exactly where he worked and who his friends were. He would know. He would find out. Could they escape? What would Jerome do if they left? He was also painfully aware that their relationship had blossomed from a lie. How could this have gone so wrong? 

Jerome leant back down to kiss his neck under his jaw, and as his lips moved down to brush against the bite mark he had left last night, Oswald began ditching his plans. 

_____

Sat in the now silent setting of Fish Mooney's, Oswald began wondering what his plans for the future were. Before, he had considered taking down Fish and claiming her spot, but after all she had done for him he was beginning to have second thoughts. Ever since he started she had taken him under her wing, seemingly cared for him and liked calling herself his mama as she would with other employees. But when Gertrud died, she adopted an even softer approach to him that he couldn't help but find comfort in. No one would ever come close to replacing his mother, but Fish was able to sooth his loss with her newfound tenderness. 

It made him feel guilty about his previous plans to overthrow her, and his mother's death also seemed to seep away at his desire for power. So after he had weeks to grieve and mourn, after weeks of Fish's motherly attitude, Oswald couldn't bring himself to plan her downfall any longer. So now, as he had attempted to impress his boss only to be stood up, Oswald found himself lost in doubt and confusion. He wasn't sure what he was doing anymore, and Jerome's sudden confession to murder was not going to help.

He heard a door open and close, before the distinctive sound of heels clicking on the floor. Fish strode in with Butch and grinned when she saw him. Her left arm was in a cast, and there were a few stitches visible on her forehead, but Oswald was more interested in the fact that her left eye was now a different colour. Opening her free arm for a hug, she called out to him with a small amount of fondness "Oswald!"

Quickly sliding off the bar stool, Oswald smiled back and moved towards her. "Ms. Mooney. You look well" He smiled as he went for the hug, not noticing her glance back at Butch in concern when she noticed his limp and the bruise. She pulled back, but kept her hand on his arm as she gave him a serious look.

"What happened to your leg?"

"Wh- ...I broke it at work a few weeks ago. It was...uh, a few days before you went into hospital" 

"Oswald, you didn't break your leg at work. I would know about it" Fish responded with sternness but also concern. He suddenly began to feel uneasy as he glanced over her shoulder at Butch in confusion. If he didn't break it at work, why did no one ever correct him?

"But...Jerome said-"

"Honey, whatever that man told you was a lie"

A large amount of nausea suddenly hit him, and he just stared at her in alarm. Jerome had lied. He had lied to him again. But why? How did he really break his leg? How many more lies had he fallen for?

"You may go home to confront him, if you so wish" She said cupping his cheek softly "Thank you, you've done well. Now, go and help yourself" 

Oswald nodded but moved back to the counter to collect the flowers, and handed them to her with a curt nod before walking back out the nightclub. 

"Why didn't you tell him?" Fish asked Butch once her umbrella boy had gone. The larger man shrugged as he watched the door click shut. 

"He seemed certain enough it happened at work. No one felt the need to correct him. It's not like it made any difference" 

She sighed as she looked at the bouquet, noticing the white lillies among the array of flowers, "Butch, honey, it makes a difference for him. He was being lied to by someone he trusted. And you know what that Jerome boy is capable of" 

_____

The bell on the shop door chimed as it open and shut, snapping Ed out of a daydream as it usually did. Martin walked towards him with a determined look on his face, and stopped at the counter, "We need to talk" 

Considering there was no one else in the store, Ed nodded and leant on the side, "What's wrong?"

"Dad's in danger. I need your help" 

"...What happened? Is he ok?"

"I overheard them talking last night. Jerome confessed to killing his parents to dad, and it made me certain he wasn't just going to go off threats anymore" 

"Anymore? Has he threatened you both?"

Martin shook his head, "He just makes dad sad most of the time, or makes him scared. He rarely hits him, but he does have a rough touch. The bruises aren't usually from anything violent, he just grabs him hard sometimes"

Ed frowned confused, before he realised what the boy possibly meant, "Martin...has he threatened you?"

A nod. "Frequently. Most of the time they're nothing, but one time he tried to kill me...if dad hadn't stepped in I'd probably be dead" 

"What do you mean if Oswald hadn't stepped in? He's still with Jerome after that?"

His signing became more frustrated and exaggerated as he tried to get his point across, "dad doesn't remember what happened! And he didn't break his leg from a work accident!" 

"...what? How did he break it then?" Ed asked slowly, his heart dropping in his chest in horror when he saw what Martin signed next. He realised that Oswald was so certain of what happened, but he had absolutely no idea of who the man he had let into his life really was.

"Dad tried to save me, so Jerome broke it!" 


	3. Chapter 3

Rain hammered against his face as Oswald rushed home, his heart racing in his chest and lungs burning. His face was wet and numb, a dull sting running across his cheeks from the cold. In fact, all of him felt numb. Jerome had lied about his parents. He lied about Oswald's accident. What else was he hiding? A hurricane of emotions swirled inside his chest as he tried to make sense of the situation. He was angry, and upset, but also terrified. It was like Jerome was a completely different man. He wasn't the sweet guy who Oswald could confide in, he wasn't someone who understood his grief over being an orphan. He wasn't the man that Oswald trusted with his whole heart. Everything he said, all the things he told him about the people in his life was just a lie. 

_"Sorry about your mother...I lost mine a few months ago too. It's hard without her, she was all I had after my brother left. I_ _f you ever need to talk to someone..."_

Tears blurred his vision, and Oswald ducked into an alleyway. Leaning against the wall, he began sobbing, grabbing his head and balling his fists in his hair. How could he have been so stupid? This wasn't was love was supposed to be...right? He slid down the wall and hugged his legs as he cried, not knowing what to do. It didn't feel like he could go home, but he needed to know what had happened to him. He needed the closure. He needed to understand why.

_"I love you, Oswald. You're the best thing to come into my life'"_

Oswald thought back to the early stages of their relationship, wondering how things had gone so wrong since then. Where had the tenderness go? Where was the soft touches and quiet "I love you"s when they cuddled in bed? When did Jerome's possessiveness start showing? 

When they first started dating, Jerome was like a dream. One of those perfect and handsome love interests from the romance films his mother liked. He said the right things, made the right gestures. Perhaps he should've known something that perfect was not real, and could only exist in fairytales. 

_"I don't like you around that Jim Gordan, he's just going to hurt you. All men like him are trouble, I just want to keep you safe, you know that right?"_

_"Ivy's trying to turn you against me. You know I'd never hurt you, Oz"_

_"That Ed was asking for you today. Are you sure you're not hiding something?"_

_"Martin just doesn't like me. Many children don't like a new parent coming into their life. It's just a childish attempt to break us apart, don't listen to him"_

He was scared of confronting Jerome, but he knew he had gone through worse, such as working as a spy for Fish under Maroni. He made him uncomfortable to be around, especially with the things he said, the subtle touches, and the way he would constantly pat his face too hard which made him flinch every time. Oswald was often scared of what would happen if he was caught. Maroni had already made threats towards him and his mother, he had already hit him, already expressed his dominance over such a weak and pathetic man. He wasn't sure Maroni ever saw him as a person. The Don was far more powerful, far scarier than Jerome. And yet, anxiety only grew when he thought of going home to him. 

"You have to do this, Oswald. You're stronger than this" He whispered to himself as he tried to control his breathing. He used to have a vision of running Gotham's underworld, and even if that didn't seem to be the plan anymore, he knew he had to be strong and face any threat that came his way. He owed that to his mother.

The house was eerily silent when Oswald walked in. The usual noisy chirping of his birds from the other room was gone, and his stomach sank as he began to realise something felt wrong. 

"Jerome? I need to talk to you!" He called out, shutting the front door behind him but not finding the strength to move any further. 

"Oz? You're home early" Jerome walked over from the front room and frowned, something cupped in his hands. His voice sounded both sad and nervous, as if he had been caught in the middle of something.

"What really happened to my leg? I know it wasn't a work accident. Tell me the truth" 

His partner frowned and sighed stepping closer, "I didn't want to scare you when you woke up, so I lied. I'm so sorry, Oz. I should've told you" The tone in his voice wavered, and Oswald was taken back by how genuine it sounded. He wasn't sure if he was being lied to again, or if Jerome was actually sorry for lying.

"Please tell, I have to know" 

"You fell down the stairs, and hit your head rather bad. When you woke up you had no memory of what had happened before or during it, so I lied and told you it was a work accident. One that happened earlier in the day and when you came home you just slept through the pain. I never meant to hurt you, I'm so sorry" 

There was no way this was fake. There was no way he could seem this genuine if it wasn't true, so Oswald had no choice but to believe him. Jerome loved him after all. But, if this was also lie, surely the truth wouldn't be that bad. Jerome would never really hurt him. He pushed aside the feelings, and sighed.

"Thank you. But please don't lie to me again, you know I have problems with trusting people. But I tru-" His voice trailed off once he finally noticed what was in his hands. Laying there was his cockatiel. Still, silent. Dead. "E-Elijah? What happened to him?"

"I came downstairs and found them like this. I'm so sorry" 

Oswald immediately took the bird from him and stared down at it in disbelief, all other emotions being pushed aside for heartbreak. Elijah was a white faced cockatiel, his feathers mostly a dark grey with white sprinkled in. He was still slightly warm. He was named after his deceased Father, who Gertrud had only told him the first name of. And now he was gone, just like his parents. 

He took a shaky breath, tears falling down his face, and looked at Jerome "...they...?" 

Jerome didn't say anything else, but lead him into the front room to the cage, and looked at the other dead bird. Lajos was a normal grey cockatiel who, much like his companion, had grey and white feathers across his body, but retained the iconic yellow feathers on his face, and the orange cheeks. He too was laying on his back, unmoving. Lajos was named by his mother. Oswald reached down and picked him up, before cradling them against his chest crying. 

Jerome gently put his hand on Oswald's shoulder and sighed, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "I have a shoe box we can bury them in if you want" 

All he could do was nod in response, and Jerome left to collect the box. Heartbroken, Oswald moved to sit down and cried. They were the last few things he had of hers. And now they were gone. Why did everything he love have to leave? Jerome brought a shoe box back, and Oswald carefully placed the birds in.

However, if he had been paying more attention, he would've noticed how their necks flopped back too far as he went to place them down. 

The two walked to the garden, and Jerome began digging a shallow grave as his partner held the box to his chest. Once that was done, he kissed the lid and placed the box in the dirt, before picking a lily from a hanging basket and placing it in. Jerome put an arm around him, "Would you like to say a few words?"

"Yes..." Oswald wiped his eyes, "We raised you, and watched you grow into fine birds. I know my mother loved you as I did, and now I hope you all take care of each other. You were more than pets to me. You were like my children. Rest in peace" 

He watched as Jerome filled the grave in, and wrapped his arms around himself sniffing. By now he had forgotten about the previous conflict. His only concern was his broken heart. The fact that both birds had miraculously died at the same time, and weren't even cold or stiff yet, did not even cross his mind. 

Suddenly, his phone started ringing. He opened it to see the caller ID, and was confused to see Martin. Why would his son call him when he couldn't speak? Before he could answer, Jerome snatched his phone and put it in his pocket, before putting his arm around him "Let's just take a second to mourn, Oz. It's ok" 

Oswald sighed sadly, and rested his head on his partner's shoulder. 

______

"No answer" Ed sighed handing Martin his phone back, "What do we do?" 

"We have to tell him without Jerome finding out. I don't know what he'd do to dad or me if we tried to leave" 

"You're not going home. There's no way I'm letting you go back there" Ed paced around his apartment as Martin watched him from the little couch, seemingly annoyed but still concerned. He had taken the boy here so they could make a plan, but neither really knew what to do in this situation. Ed's own experiences made him certain that Oswald was not willing to leave, and Martin's encounters with Jerome made him certain that he wasn't above hurting them if they tried leaving. 

"Dad isn't going to leave. Jerome doesn't let him stay the night anywhere without him, but he won't even notice if I'm gone. Dad will though. He's protective" 

"What if he knows you're with me? He trusts me right?" 

Martin pulled a face, "Are you dumb? He feels safe around you. Do you not see that?" 

The blush on Ed's face did not go unnoticed, but the boy didn't bring it up. "There has to be a way...give me his number, I'll call him on my phone"

Martin handed him his phone on Oswald's contact, and Ed typed the number in before calling Oswald. The first two times he called, it just rung until it went to voicemail, and the third time it was manually declined. Perhaps it was the unknown number calling him that was preventing him from answering, but Ed wasn't giving up. On the fourth ring, Oswald finally answered. 

"H-hello?" He replied in a shaky voice. Ed could hear background noise, but he couldn't make out what it was. 

"Oswald, are you ok? Where are you? There's something important I need to tell you" 

"Ed? How did you...I'm at home. What's wrong? 

"It's Jerome. He lied, you didn't break your leg a-"

"I know, he told me every-" There was a sound like a gasp, but Ed couldn't tell what it was. But he could tell that Oswald was trying to control his breathing, and anxiety began to set in. It didn't sound good. "-everything. I forgive him, it was an accident"

What? He couldn't tell if he was more surprised about Jerome admitting what he did, or about Oswald forgiving him for what he did to him and Martin. It didn't seem likely that Oswald could forgive something like that. Then, he quickly realised that Jerome must have told him another lie. That was the only explanation. "Even after what he did to Martin?"

"Martin? Wha- I don't have time for this. I'm kind of in the middle of something"

"Oswald, wait"

"I have to go"

"Liste-"

"Goodbye" 

Ed stared at the phone in disbelief as Oswald hung up, then looked at Martin in concern, only to find the boy getting ready to leave. "Where are you going?"

"Home. I need to make him listen" He signed, throwing his bag over his shoulder. 

"No. I'm not letting you put yourself in danger. I'll go-"

"Jerome will get the wrong idea if you show up, you'll put us all in danger. Dad listens to me, I'll make him realise what he has to do. Be ready. Here's my number" Martin ripped off some paper from the pad around his neck, and gave Ed a look when he saw the hesitance on his face, "I've been through this before, and I was able to defend myself. I'm not a child"

"Please be careful. You can both come here" 

Martin nodded before walking out the door, leaving Ed by himself. His heart had not calmed since Martin told him what had happened, and Oswald's unwillingness to hear what he had to say when he was on the phone only fed his fears. What if Oswald didn't believe the truth? What of he wasn't willing to leave after all? Anxiously, he began to pace, chewing at his cuticles. Jerome was dangerous, and he had Oswald trapped inside a web of lies and deceit. Was it too late to save him, or could Martin make him see who his boyfriend really was? 

He looked at the door again, and sighed. He had faith in Martin. It would be ok.


	4. Chapter 4

Everything was going wrong.

Oswald wasn't himself when Martin got home. He was silent, and hardly moved from his spot of the couch as he drank, crying every now and then. It was obvious he wasn't interested in what Martin had to say, despite the obvious urgency he had expressed. This wasn't like him. Yes, when Gertrud had died and he fell into a grief-induced depression, but Martin didn't understand why he was so unfazed by his clear distress. Even then he made an effort. How was this different? 

"Not now Martin" He would mumble when his son tried signing, and when he tried writing it down he didn't bother to read it. He just gazed distantly to the side, head leant on his hand with the other clutching a glass of Bourbon. It made his son angry, but also scared. This wasn't his father. His father would've noticed something was wrong by now, his father would've listened to what he had to say despite what he was doing. Why didn't Oswald care?

It was even harder when Jerome was around. He didn't leave Oswald's side very often, so Martin couldn't risk trying to tell him the truth incase Jerome figured out what he was doing, which was dangerous. He knew what he would do. 

Martin spent hours desperately trying to get Oswald to listen to him to no avail, and slowly began to loose hope. This was not going to do anything, he needed a better plan. It was clear Jerome didn't want him there, and with his dad acting strangely he wasn't certain what would happen if things took a turn for the worse. The best thing he could do was to come up with a better plan with Ed. He wrote that he was going to stay at a friend's house and showed the note to Jerome, who didn't even attempt to hide his joy, before writing a note and handing to Oswald.

Martin then left, hoping things would be ok. But something just felt wrong about leaving. He hoped Ed would be able to come up with a better plan soon before something happened..

Oswald was not in the mood for anything at the moment, except for sitting with Jerome and watching a movie to try and distract himself. He wasn't sure how much he had drank -hell, he couldn't even remember when he had started drinking. His senses fell dull, and he was clinging onto the small warmth the alcohol was bringing him. He felt like a complete failure of a parent for dismissing Martin, but he couldn't find it in him to find out what was wrong. Too much bad news in one day would break him. But that was a horrible mindset for a parent, he should've listened to what his son needed. What if it was important? Maybe it was just the cocktail of emotions and alcohol that was screwing with him. And now Martin had stopped bothering him, he couldn't stop wondering what was so important that he wanted to tell him. He cursed himself for his stupidity and selfishness. 

Jerome came back in from the kitchen and sat beside him, putting an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close. Oswald sighed and rested head head against his boyfriend's, relaxing against him. It was hard to believe that earlier on in the day, he had believed Jerome had injured him. Of course that wasn't true; he loved Oswald, he would never do anything to hurt him intentionally. Yes, the lying was concerning, but it wasn't the worst thing. They still loved each other, and they would work this out. 

"Martin is sleeping over a friend's house tonight" Jerome said, gently rubbing his shoulder with his thumb, "We have the house to ourselves" 

Oswald made a sound between a huff and a snort. Of course, what else would he want to do. Maybe it would cheer him up, but he wasn't in the mood right now, especially not while mildly drunk and grieving. He shifted is head to look up at him, "I don't think I want to-"

"Come on, Oz. You might find it helps" Jerome leant down and kissed him, mumbling against his lips, "It usually does" 

"Jerome..." There was a look in his eyes that Oswald couldn't interpret, and it made him hesitate. In all honesty, he didn't know what he wanted right now. Jerome didn't wait for a reply before pulling him onto his lap, and Oswald just sighed leaning forward against him, hands on his shoulders. "I'm not sure-"

His partner cut him off with a rough kiss, one hand gripping the back of his head, bunched in his hair, the other moving down to grab his waist. He tried to relax as Jerome quickly deepened it with a rough possessiveness. It wasn't nice, or enjoyable to any extent. His stomach dropped in panic as he tried to figure out what to do. He didn't want it. He didn't want to do this. 

Oswald put his hands on Jerome's chest and pushed himself back "Stop it! I don't want to do this right now" 

The ginger stared at him with several different expressions in one, sending shivers down his spine. It was clear he was pissed, and it was clear he didn't care if Oswald wasn't in the mood for sex. But the uncertainty scared him. Would Jerome just force him to engage or would he actually be considerate to his partner's discomfort? Before he could find out, Oswald climbed off his lap, "I'm going to the toilet...I don't feel so good" 

Quickly turning and leaving the front rom, he stumbled to the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He leant back against the wall and took deep breaths in an attempt to settle himself. Jerome had done similar things in the past, but never that bad. It was getting worse, and he was actually beginning to notice how bad everything was becoming. Oswald turned to the mirror and sighed, looking at his disheveled reflection and the exhaustion written all over his face. He looked terrible. He splashed water on his face to try and wake himself up, before his thoughts were drawn to the paper he had put in his pockets hours ago. Martin gave it to him, but what was it about? Curiously, he searched his pockets, but when he unfolded the paper and read what Martin wrote, his blood went cold. 

_Jerome is lying. He broke your leg intentionally._

Panic consumed him as he stared at the words, reading and re-reading it to try and see if it was just his drunken state playing tricks on him. But the words never changed. His chest tightened around his lungs, restricting his breathing as he fumbled around for his phone, before calling Ed. He had tried to tell him. Oh, he was so stupid for not listening! _Pick up, pick up!_

Ed answered on the second ring, concern evident in his voice, "Oswald? Are you ok?"

"Do you know what happened to me?" He whispered, glancing at the door cautiously, scared Jerome would be able to hear him. There was a few seconds of silence, before Ed responded. 

"Yes" 

________

_Martin had just come out of his room when he noticed Jerome in the hallway, a metal bat held in his hand as he glared down at the boy. He knew Jerome hated him from the first time he set eyes on him. All the micro-aggressions and passive aggressiveness ever since only confirmed that belief. It always made him wonder why he dated Oswald in the first place if he wasn't going to enjoy sharing him with his son. Martin frowned and took a step back, as Jerome's face broke into a sarcastic grin._

_"You've been trying to turn Oswald against me. Why would you do that, Martin? Don't you want your dad to be happy?" He took a threatening step towards him, "He's happy with me, we love each other. You on the other hand...I don't see us getting along. You're in my way. You're a pest, and what do we do to pests?" he hit the bat against the palm of his hand menacingly._

_Luckily, before things had the chance to escalate between them,_ _Oswald came out his room and looked at the two, before his face dropped when he saw the bat. He knew instantly that something was wrong, just by the pleading look on his son's face. But neither of them knew that the conflict was far from over, "Martin, come here"_

_"I was going to-"_

_"He was threatening me!" Martin immediately countered with his quick signing, and nausea grew inside Oswald. Threatening Martin? He knew Jerome didn't like him, but not to this extent! It only seemed like a mild jealousy thing, or someone who didn't want to be a parent. He had always hoped the two would eventually get along, but now that didn't seem possible._

_"Come on, downstairs" The wavering in his voice gave away his sudden fear, and Jerome slowly turned to Oswald glaring as Martin ran past. He hesitated on the top step, looking back at his dad, before running down the steps. The look in Jerome's eyes made Oswald freeze on the spot, even when he brought the bat down on his knee. There was a loud sound between a snap and crack as it collided with the bone, and Oswald's legs buckled from underneath him as he cried out in pain. He snapped out of it, and struggled away as Jerome raised the bat and stuck his knee again, yelling at him for taking Martin's side._

_Tears of pain and terror fell down his face as he grabbed the banister to get back up, stumbling away from his furious boyfriend. He narrowly missed the third swing, darting towards the staircase as best he could, agonising pain shooting through his right leg. Putting all his weight on the banister, he attempted to run down the stairs to Martin, but his leg gave out and tumble down instead. Everything else fell silent as he crashed down the steps with loud thuds, colliding with the floor with a loud bang._

_Martin rushed forward to check on him, but he had been knocked out on impact. Blood ran from a gash on his forehead, his ankle turned out at a weird angle. He looked up as Jerome dropped the bat and ran down, "Oz? Ozzie?" He called as he tried shaking him awake, before leaning down to check for breath and a pulse. After making sure Oswald was actually alive, he picked him up and took him over to the couch, telling Martin to get the first aid kit._

_When Martin brought it back for him, Jerome just grabbed his wrist in a vice grip and growled, "_ _If you tell anyone what happened, I'll kill him, and then you. That is a promise"_

________

"We tried to tell you. I'm sorry"

"Oh my god" he sobbed in panic, covering his mouth to muffle the sounds. Jerome threatened his son. He had crippled him and lied. Why was he so stupid not to realise this sooner? 

"You can come here, Martin is with me. I'll text you the address" 

"Yes, yes thank you so much" 

"Ozzie? Are you ok?" Jerome called from the other room, causing Oswald's heart to to jolt. He had to go in there, with the man who had done this, and pretend everything was ok. But he didn't know if he could do that. 

"I have to go. See you soon" 

Oswald hung up and took a few breaths to recollect himself before walking back out, and forced a smile as he walked over to Jerome. He couldn't leave. Not right now. When Jerome fell asleep he would sneak out and go to Ed's. He sat down beside him, trying to keep himself calm, but when Jerome put an arm back around him he felt himself tense. _Stay calm._ He thought to himself, attempting to relax as he felt Jerome's eyes on him. "You don't have to do it, I'm sorry I tried to force you"

"Thank you" 

There was a beat of silence. When Oswald still hadn't managed to relax his muscles, Jerome spoke again. 

"Are you ok, Pengy?" His voice was soft, but sent chills down Oswald's spine. Perhaps it was his growing paranoia, but Oswald couldn't help but feel like Jerome knew he had found out. 

"Mm hm...just a bit tired. It's been a long day"

Jerome nodded, then handed him his glass, which had been refilled when he left, and he took it, resting his head on his shoulder to try and act normal. Thousands of thoughts raced around his head, and it took everything in him not to run away right there. But he was scared, and he wouldn't make it far on foot if he tried to leave now. Jerome's arm tightened around him, like a python coiling around it's prey. Oswald anxiously sipped his drink, and sucked an ice cube into his mouth to try and keep himself calm. The cold on his tongue gave him something to focus on, and something to try and sober up despite still drinking alcohol. It worked for the most part. He felt himself calming down ever so slightly, before something began to feel wrong. 

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but he was beginning to feel drowsy, and sweaty, his anxiety slowly fading away. But this didn't feel right, something inside him was screaming for him to run. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

There was specks of his vison that were beginning to blur, and Oswald might have panicked if his body was able to respond properly. "I'm...I'm going to bed..." He mumbled, slowly pushing himself away from Jerome after kissing his cheek, before attempting to push himself onto his feet. His limbs felt heavy, his mind foggy as the room spun, but despite wobbling on his feet he was still determined to try. However, he only managed to take a few steps towards the door before collapsing. 

Jerome tutted as he walked over, but Oswald could barely see him out the corner of his eye as he stood over him chuckling. "Oh dear, little birdie, what's gotten into you?" 

Oswald just lied there, trying to figure out what to do. His sight was quickly becoming more blurred, and he wasn't sure what was happening. He could feel himself struggling to stay awake, watching as the foggy outline of Jerome stepped closer and pushed him onto his back with his foot so he was staring at the ceiling. He felt weight on his hips as Jerome straddled him, cold fingers moving to brush against his face, moving down to his neck where they lingered for several seconds in an almost threatening gesture. Then, they made their way down lower. The last thing he saw was the red hair of the man he thought he loved, before he faded into unconsciousness.

Oswald woke up groggily back on the couch, his head pounding and mouth dry. The warm orange glow of twilight was now replaced with inky darkness, indicating it he had been out for a while. Maybe a few hours. His body ached in a way that felt familiar, and yet different when combined with his sudden black out and whatever the hell this hangover was. Something was off about how he felt, but he couldn't pin point what it was. He rubbed his face with his hand and tried to sit up, straining to remember what had happened. The area below his abdomen tensed as he sat, causing him to flinch at the sudden additional aching. He was drinking with Jerome, and had a bit too much. That could've explained the hangover like symptoms, but Oswald was certain he was missing something. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to think, and remembered going to the bathroom after Jerome tried to force himself on him...and a phone call with Ed about...it was about...

What did Ed say? 

Before he could think any further, Jerome walked into the room with deliberately slow strides, staring straight at him blankly. But even from afar Oswald could see the anger in his eyes, and it made him shiver. Deep in his subconscious he knew Jerome was dangerous, and he no longer felt safe. The idea that Jerome would never hurt him that he had been grasping onto for so long had faded, only leaving an uneasy anxiety in it's place. He couldn't tell what scared him more; the anger radiating from him, or the fact he had no idea why he was so angry at him.

Jerome crouched in front of him, studying his face for a few seconds before speaking in an uncannily calm tone, "Ed came looking for you. Why is that?"

_What had Ed told him over the phone?_

Oswald opened his mouth to answer, but nothing formulated. He didn't know exactly why, because he could hardly remember what they had talked about, but he felt like it was to get Oswald to safety. Something about leaving...

"Why was he waiting for you outside?" Jerome growled, now lunging forwards to grab him, "Tell me!" 

"I don't know!" Oswald cried in panic, eyes wide and teary. He was confused, and scared and nothing made sense. Something wasn't right about what had happened earlier, and something had happened on the phone, and it was upsetting him that it wasn't coming to him. "Please, I swear I don't know"

"Yes you do. You do, Oz, of course you know. Am I not good enough? Is that why you refused me?" The grip of his hair tightened, and Oswald winced as he felt his hair being tugged "I always knew you were a fucking whore"

He was close to crying as he stared at Jerome, but he tried his best to keep it together, "I'm sorry, please let go! You're hurting me!" 

Jerome let go of his hair, just to punch him across the face, "You were planning on leaving with him, weren't you! Of course, I knew it. You're fucking him behind my back!" 

"No! I sw-" He was cut off by another punch, and Oswald spat out blood sobbing. The warm liquid dripped from his nose as he pushed himself back into a sitting position, curling himself into a ball in terror. Jerome had never been violent with him. 

"If I can't have you, no one can" 

His blood ran cold as he realised exactly what he meant, but before he could react Jerome pounced and wrapped his hands around his throat. Oswald gasped for breath, struggling to get Jerome off him as he clawed at his hands, shoved at his face, but nothing worked. In a blind panic, he kicked and shoved, but couldn't think properly to form an actual plan. Heartbreak, panic and a will to survive coursed through his veins as he made eye contact with Jerome. The love and warmth was gone from his eyes. 

Suddenly, like a light switch flickered on, Oswald suddenly remembered what Ed told him. What Jerome had done. He had hurt him before, he had threatened his son, and- Martin. Martin needed him. He wouldn't let himself die at the hands of an abusive lover. Choking back a sob, Oswald brought his legs up to his chest, grabbing his knife from his right sock, before kicking Jerome as hard her could in the chest. His grip loosened as he jolted back, and Oswald stabbed him in the shoulder when he went to strike again. He threw himself off the couch, limping as fast as he could towards the door. Jerome screamed somewhere behind him, but Oswald swung the front door open and took off as fast as his injured leg would let him. He didn't stop when he heard Jerome yelling. He didn't stop when his legs threatened to collapse under him. He didn't stop when all he could feel was stabs of pain through his head, lungs, and leg.

He didn't stop until he knew he was safe.

Oswald leant against a wall gasping desperately for breath, looking around in case Jerome was still chasing him. When he saw he was in the clear, he wiped his nose on his arm leaving a large smear of blood on his sleeve. Then he grabbed his phone and flipped it open, only to find several missed calls and texts from Ed and Martin. He went into the texts for Ed and went up to the first one to find the address.

805 Grundy street. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad decisions will get you hurt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW//: briefly mentioned/implied non-con 
> 
> This chapter gets a bit dark towards the end, please be careful

Ever since Oswald had hung up on, Ed had been nervous about what would, or could, happen. Too many things could go wrong. This anxiety only grew when hours passed without another sign of his friend, and when he wasn't answering any of his texts. It was a bad idea to drive over to Oswald's, since Jerome could spot him and get the wrong idea, but as more and more hours went by, he had no other choice. 

He went alone as Martin had fallen asleep, driving to the street and parking across the road from the house, hoping to see any sign of Oswald. But the lights were off and he could only see the shadow of someone moving around inside. It wasn't Oswald; he could tell from the height and gait of the person. He squinted through the dark, trying to figure out what he was doing. It looked like he was walking around the room for a moment, before he ducked out of sight. Ed watched as he slowly came back into view, now holding something -no, someone- in his arms. A limp body. 

Chills ran up his spine as he watched Jerome carry his motionless friend, and place him back down. What happened to him? Against his better judgement, Ed slowly got out his car and snuck over to the house, ducking just below the window. Then, he slowly leant up to look through the window and watched as Jerome knelt beside Oswald, hovering just above him as he buttoned his boyfriend's shirt and waistcoat back up. His stomach twisted as he watched, wondering if Oswald was asleep or unconscious. He didn't it. Jerome brushed Oswald's fringe out of his face, then leant down to kiss him, before getting back up. As he turned, Ed ducked down to avoid being caught, but the sound of the front door swinging open a minute later was not a good sign.

He turned getting ready to run, and came face to face with the barrel of a gun. "Mr. Nygma? Why are you snooping around our house?"

"I-I..." Ed stammered, holding his hands up as he slowly got to his feet. Fire burned in those eyes as Jerome glared at him, and Ed feigned confidence knowing he was looking into the eyes of a killer, "Where's Oswald? What have you done to him?"

"Why do you-" He glanced through the window before looking at Ed, face twisting into a smirk, "Oh I get it now. You've got a thing for my boy! You've been trying to turn him against me like that bratty son of his. Or maybe you two have just been fucking behind my back"

"No, that's not true! I-"

"Well, remember this Ed. Come anywhere near us again, and I'll blow his head off! Now get out of here before I put a bullet between your eyes" 

Ed didn't want to leave. How could he leave Oswald alone with this mad man and his gun? But he knew he had no choice but to stumble away and rethink his plan. Despite the other Ed yelling at him to turn back and save Oswald, Ed pulled out of the parking spot and drive back home. His heart pounded in his chest as he tried to come up with a new plan. One that wouldn't endanger Oswald anymore than it already had. Jerome was angry. He thought Oswald was cheating on him, and he had a gun. This was bad, so very bad. Ed had just made everything worse, and who knew if Oswald was going to make it out this time.

 _ **"Go back and save him! You can't leave him there!"**_ The other him appeared in the passage seat, glaring at him for his stupidity.

"I can't. He'll kill him if I do"

_**"Stop being such a coward, Ed! If you don't go back, he'll murder Oswald. He isn't the man who would just let him go, and now he thinks you two had an affair he will-"** _

"Stop it! Oswald will be fine, I know he will" Ed's hands gripped the steering wheel harder, his knuckles turning white. 

_**"Do you honestly believe that?"** _

He didn't answer. Although he believed in Oswald and knew he was capable of protecting himself, he wasn't sure he truly believed what he was saying. Jerome was dangerous, he killed his parents, threatened Martin's life and broke Oswald's leg. If he was angry, who knew what he would do. But turning back now...it wouldn't do anything to help.

He just hoped that was the right decision.

Less than an hour later Ed made it home, a frantic banging at his door caught his attention, and Ed quickly answered. His heart sank when he saw Oswald before him, blood smeared across his face, and bruising beginning to form across his cheeks. His eyes were red and puffy from crying, tear-stains evident across his face which smeared the small amount of makeup from around his eyes. It worried him that he was just in his shirt, waistcoat and pants with no jacket, seeing as it was getting colder each day and this time of night was the worse, but also because he knew Oswald had walked. Before he could say anything, Oswald threw his arms around him crying, which Ed slowly returned. 

"He knew. He knew I had found out, and I think he put something in my drink...and I passed out. He was so angry about you being near the house, and he tried to..." Oswald broke into more sobs, "I was so scared..."

"I'm so sorry" Ed held him, sliding the front door shut behind them, "I was stupid. You stopped responding to my messages, and you hadn't got here yet so I got scared and decided to drive over...he noticed. I made everything worse, and I shouldn't have left you" 

Oswald sniffed shaking his head, "It's over...I'm never going near him again. I can't...I realise what he is and I know he's dangerous" He felt Oswald's grip loosen as he began to pull away from the hug, "Where's Martin?" 

Ed glanced over at the bed where the boy was sleeping, and Oswald rushed over to the bed and crouched beside his son, gently running a hand through his curls as he help back more sobs. "I'm so sorry...this is all my fault. I'll never put you in danger again, I promise. I should've believed you...I was foolish to believe he wasn't who you said he was. I love you, Martin please forgive me"

Watching Oswald talk to his sleeping son made Ed's heart ache. They loved each other, and Martin had done so much to ensure his and Oswald's safety. He knew Oswald almost didn't make it tonight, and he couldn't forgive himself for putting him in more danger. That's probably how Oswald felt at the moment after what Martin knew would happen came true. Love had blinded him to the truth; it was a cruel illusion that made him believe in the best of Jerome while blocking out the worst. But that wasn't his fault. None of this was. 

"Oswald...we should clean you up and check your wounds" He called to his friend after a few minutes, though it partially wanting to distract him from his guilt. Oswald hesitated for a moment, before kissing Martin's forehead and walking over and Ed lead him to the couch. He grabbed the first-aid kit and a wet cloth from the kitchen cupboard before sitting down beside him. Oswald's eyes were focused on the wall, avoiding eye contact with Ed as he lifted Oswald's chin up with his finger, and gently wiped the blood away from his face. He was careful not to hurt him, especially on the areas that were clearly injured. The bruise on his face was growing more and more discoloured, but luckily his nose and split lip had stopped bleeding. He was able to determine that it wasn't broken, and that he didn't require further medical treatment unless he wanted to know about the drug. 

"Oswald..."

"Hm?"

"Do you want to go to the hospital or police to-"

"No" Oswald's face quickly shifted into a frown, crossed between fear and something Ed couldn't quite interpret, "No, I'm not going" 

As a response, Ed sighed and rubbed his face. He should know what he was drugged with to make sure there was no lingering side effects, but he wasn't going to force him to do anything he didn't want. "Then tell me what happened. Please..." 

Oswald looked away frowning, hugging himself as he thought about what happened with Jerome. To even think about it made him anxious and nauseas. Jerome drugged him, whether it was because he denied his advances or whether he knew Oswald had found out the truth, the tried to kill him. To make it worse, Oswald was beginning to have an idea of what Jerome had done to him while he was unconscious, and that just made him feel sick. He didn't really want to explain it...but this was Ed. 

"I just...It's been such a dreadful evening Ed. I came out of the bathroom after you told me what happened, and then began to feel weird after a while. I tried to leave once I realised something was wrong, but by then it was too late. I passed out and woke up a few hours later, where he told me he saw you, accused me of cheating on him and tried to strangle me" He shivered, "the look in his eyes...he never looks at me like that. It was as if I was seeing him for the first time" 

Ed put his hand on Oswald's shoulder, then carefully moved down to take his hand. Oswald tensed slightly as stared at it, but then smiled and squeezed Ed's hand for reassurance. "But I never have to see him again, thanks to you and Martin. Thank you for helping us Ed, I am forever in your debt" 

Blushing, Ed felt his heart skip a beat at his friend's words. He was in love with Oswald ever since he met him all those months ago, and now he had saved him from a monster. Maybe it was the look on Oswald face as he smiled gratefully at him, or maybe it was his sleep deprived brain preventing him from thinking clearly, as Ed reached forward and brushed some hair from his forehead. He just couldn't help but lean in and kiss Oswald gently, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze back. Oswald's first thought was to push him away, but he just ended up melting under the softness and kissed back despite his better judgement. He hadn't felt this is months. He hadn't felt loved since the early stages of his last relationship.

But the moment was short-lived before when Jerome's words echoed through his head. 

_I always knew you were a fucking whore._

"N-no, stop" Oswald put his hands on Ed's chest and pushed, almost surprised when his friend immediately moved away. He was so desperate to feel loved, to feel wanted by someone who was kind and cared for him. But after everything he had been through, he wasn't willing to risk putting himself in this situation again. Oswald was not ready to date again -he wasn't sure he ever could be after everything Jerome put him through. And although he trusted Ed after everything he had done for them, he just could not trust him as a boyfriend. This was exactly what his relationship with Jerome was like at the start; soft, gentle, sweet. A dream. He was not willing to make that mistake ever again, even if it meant he never dated anyone else.

He thought he loved Ed back, but no matter how much his mothers words rang in his ears, he was not about to put himself put his son through the pain all over again. He had to push away his feelings for his and his son's sake and wellbeing. Monsters came in all forms. Even Ed could turn out like Jerome. And his heart would break if Ed turned out as cruel and controlling as his ex. No matter how much he loved the idea of Ed being his boyfriend, his trust had been shattered. There was no way he could be with someone without being in a constant state of fear and distrust, scared that one day he'd snap and it would happen all over again. No amount of reassurance would ever be able to change his mind.

"I can't...I'm so sorry, I- we shouldn't-" Oswald tried to explain, but he fumbled over his words holding back tears. He sniffed and looked away, hugging himself. Maybe Jerome was right all along. Maybe Ed would realise he was pathetic and kick them out. Ed deserved better anyway. "I'm not ready to be in a relationship. I-I..."

He trembled, glancing back at Ed, half expecting some sort of reaction. Some yelling, maybe something physical, or maybe Ed forcing himself on him. Instead, Ed just smiled softly, "It's ok, I understand. Maybe I got a bit carried away...but you're both still welcome to stay here as long as you'd like. You don't owe anyone anything, Oswald. You can do whatever you want. You're a free man"

Oswald began crying. It was true, he didn't have anyone telling him what he could or couldn't do, no one driving him away from his friends. Ed pulled him closer into a hug gently stroking his back, and Oswald smiled into his shoulder. How he ended up with a friend like him, he didn't know. "Thank you" He sniffed, holding onto him.

Days passed, and Oswald's anxieties only grew. He was terrified of Jerome finding out where he was, which often resulted in gory, disturbing nightmares of Jerome murdering all three of them. Ed had assured him that Jerome wouldn't find them, but Oswald was never convinced. As much as he tried to convince the two not to leave the house to avoid being followed, Ed still went to work, and Martin was still taken to school. Ed assured him that he always made sure he wasn't followed, and that he told the school to call the police if Jerome tried to pick Martin up, but Oswald still panicked every moment they were gone. He was lucky that Fish was understanding enough to let him stay off work, but his time alone when the others were gone were spent locked in the bathroom with a knife. It was clear that Ed and Martin were concerned about Oswald's paranoia and anxiety, and they tried their best to calm him down. But nothing ever seemed to work. 

Oswald was also becoming increasingly aware that he had to go back home. He couldn't keep wearing Ed's far too large clothes, and Martin needed his other school books. The thought of going back terrified him, and he wasn't sure if he could handle it. Not only was it likely that Jerome would be there, but the house had far too many bad memories. Oswald knew this was the final step in leaving, no matter how much it scared him. But he didn't bring it up for another few days, trying to build confidence in both asking and doing. When he did, Ed was obviously against it, but Oswald argued about why he they needed to do it. Not only did they need their clothes and important things, Oswald still had some of his mother's stuff. He just hoped Jerome hadn't thrown them out already. 

Ed eventually agreed with clear hesitance, and decided they should do it tomorrow evening if Jerome wasn't in. Once they collect their things, they would never have to step into that house again. Oswald and Martin were free, and would never have to fear Jerome. 

That moment came around all too quickly, where Oswald, Ed and Martin were parked opposite their house, trying to figure out if Jerome was home. The car wasn't in the drive and all the lights were off, which implied he wasn't there. However, Oswald had a bad feeling in his gut which only grew as he stared at the house. This wasn't a good idea, he knew it wasn't. But they all know it had to be done. It took a while for Oswald to force himself out the car, then him and Martin crossed the road. He didn't want Martin coming with him in case something went wrong, but Martin insisted that he come because he wanted to make sure everything he needed was brought back. No matter how much Oswald pleaded with him, Martin refused to stay behind. "I will protect you if something goes wrong" Martin had signed to him, and Oswald almost cried. 

Unlocking the front door, they quietly snuck in and immediately went separate ways to start packing. Martin told him he was going to his room, and Oswald told him to be careful. It was moments like these he was glad to know sign language. Heading to the living room, Oswald tried to push away the bad memories as he quickly retrieved the photos from the side, half surprise they were still there. He smiled to himself as he put them in his bag, trying to ignore the sadness he felt once he saw one of him, his mother and Martin. He couldn't get emotional now, he needed to get his stuff and leave before Jerome came back. After collecting the family photographs and a few items from the sides, he made his way upstairs and began collecting his clothes. 

Suddenly, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he heard a noise behind him. He slowly turned to see Jerome, his blood running cold when he saw red splattered across his face and staining his arm as he clutched a bloody knife in his hand. That could only belong to one person.

"Pengy, you came back. I was beginning to think you'd left" Jerome took dangerously slow strides towards him as Oswald backed away, trembling in fear. He hurt Martin. He hurt his son. Was he still alive?

"Wh-what did you do?" He hated how his voice shook in terror, how easy it was to tell that the was frightened. This is what Jerome wanted. Fear.

"I got rid of the thing keeping us apart. That brat has been trying to tear us apart since day one, and now he's gone I'm willing to give you a second chance" His stomach twisted as he heard Jerome talk. Martin couldn't be dead. He couldn't.

"Y-you...a second chance?" Maybe it was a trick, but he wasn't sure how Jerome could think he would want to date him after this. Oswald's back hit the wall, and he realised there was nowhere else to go. Jerome was stalking closer, but he would be able to catch Oswald if he tried to run. It's not like he could get far on his leg. Maybe if he convinced Jerome he was sorry, he could escape. If he could get close enough to the knife... "Yes...yes I'd like that"

"Of course you do, little bird. I know you love me despite everything you've done, and I love you too. You'll have to make it up to me of course" A cold shiver went down Oswald's spine at the implication. He knew what that meant, but he wasn't going to give that to him. Jerome reached out with his free hand and stroked his cheek, and Oswald held back tears as he fought back the urge to flinch. 

"Of course, my love" His voice was barely above a whisper, heart racing in his chest as he gathered his nerves. He had to play along. He had to play along to survive and save his child. Jerome immediately lurched forwards and kissed him roughly, grabbing his waist and puling him close. Oswald tried to kiss back, but the sudden touch was enough to send him panicking. His brain shut off as Jerome pulled him away from the wall and shoved him onto the bed climbing on top of him. It was then that Oswald realised he wasn't strong enough to pretend he was ok with this. He couldn't let Jerome do it.

"Stop! Stop it get off!" He screamed, shoving the man above him. Jerome didn't even seem surprised as he grabbed Oswald by the hair and held his head back against the bed.

"I knew it"

Before he could do anything else, Oswald punched him as hard as he could and slipped out from underneath him when Jerome reeled back. He fell on the floor with a loud thud, before stumbling to get up. But Jerome pounced, knocking him onto his back and sat on him to prevent him from moving. His hands once again moved to Oswald's throat and squeezed, the man underneath him squirming, kicking and punching, tears running down his face. It was happening again, but Oswald wasn't sure he was able to get away this time. But he wasn't willing to die like this, not today.

The more he struggled and fought, the harder Jerome squeezed. Oswald gasped and choked, his lungs and throat burning, growing faint. He continued to fight despite the fact he was beginning to realise he was not making it out of this. Help was outside, just across the road. But Ed didn't know what was going on, and we wasn't going to find out until it was too late. Oswald knew this was a bad idea, he really should've listened to Ed. 

Then, Jerome let go.

Oswald gasped for breath, coughing roughly, severely light headed. Jerome got off him, grabbing the collar of his jacket as he dragged him towards the bathroom. What was he doing? He attempted to get up as heard the water being run, but Jerome grabbed something from the side and smacked Oswald over the head with it. It didn't do as expected, but when he fell back down and didn't move, Jerome sat on the edge of the bath satisfied and waited. His ears briefly rang at the impact, but it didn't last as long as Jerome may have hoped.

"You broke my heart Oswald, and for that you're gonna pay. I'm not just going to kill you, I'm going to make everyone think this was your fault. A man who overcome with grief of his mother decided to take the life of his son, and then his own" He smirked, moving off the bath and grabbed the knife, "Oh of course, we need to tie up the loose ends. Your Eddie wont be allowed to give me away so he'll have to go too. It's a shame, but this is what you get" 

As Jerome moved forwards, Oswald tried to twitch his fingers. He needed to do something _now_!

Jerome moved to take Oswald's jacket off when Oswald immediately brought his good leg up and kicked him below, ripping the knife from his hand. He slashed Jerome's face as hard as he could, before forcing himself up and stumbling out of the bathroom. His legs almost gave out as he grabbed the banister for support, as Jerome's footsteps drew close. He heard sirens in the distance as the front door slammed open and Ed called out to him. 

"Ed help!" Oswald screamed as he tried to get to the stairs, but Jerome grabbed him from behind and slammed him back into the wall. He winced at the impact, before he felt pressure in his stomach, and something warm run down his skin. It took him a few seconds to realise he had been stabbed, before Jerome pulled the knife back out and stabbed him again and again. Suddenly, three gunshots cracked through the house and Jerome stumbled away laughing hysterically. 

Oswald felt his legs buckle from underneath him, falling down as he clutched his stomach. The pain was only just kicking in now he realised what had happened. Someone ran over to him, and when he looked up he saw Ed hovered above him. "M-Martin" Oswald managed to choke out, hot tears streaming down his face. He needed Martin to be ok, he had to be alive. As if he was dunked underwater, his sight and hearing quickly became foggy, which made him miss what Ed said next. The green of Ed's sweater moved away, and Oswald watched him move over to an orange blur. The sirens grew louder, though distorted in Oswald's ears.

Then everything quickly faded to black.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the late update!

_It was a cold winter afternoon, about a week after his mother's funeral. He remembered staring at his reflection in the mirror, brushing his recently washed hair into the style he liked, admiring the way the fresh purple highlights shone in the light. It had been a while since he took care in his appearance. When Gertrud died he didn't have the energy to do much. Martin got himself ready, took himself to and from school, and sometimes cooked if Oswald still wasn't up to it. He still made an effort for his son, as much as he could, but most of the homemade meals he knew all reminded him of her. Just the smell was enough to make him break down._

_Yet here he was getting ready for a date._

_Oswald smoothed his shirt out for the third time, before walking out his bedroom and smiling at Martin "So? Do I look good?"_

_"Very handsome" His son signed back smiling, but Oswald could tell he didn't like Jerome._

_"If this date goes well then you'll be seeing a lot of him. You'll get used to him soon enough, I'm sure of it. He seems like a nice man"_

_If only he had known back then who Jerome really was._

_"Have a nice time"_

_Oswald took his coat off the hanger and threw it on, along with his red scarf, before heading out to meet his date._

_Snow fell around him as he walked to the cafe, a newfound spring in his step as he hummed to himself. It had been a while since he had smiled, much less felt excited. His mother always wanted him to find love, he had only hoped she'd live long enough to met him. But Oswald was certain she was watching over him with pride._

_It wasn't a long walk, but by the time he entered the store his hands were burning from the cold. He rubbed them together, looking around the cafe to try and see if his date was here yet, but he couldn't see him anywhere. Oswald decided to take a seat himself to wait._

_Jerome was late, but Oswald didn't mind. He knew how hard it was when losing a loved one, so he didn't pay it any mind as he sat down apologising. His face was a similar red to his hair as he gave Oswald an awkward smile, and fidgeted with his scarf._

_A cup of tea later, the two had already felt comfortable enough to talk to each other about personal things like their parents, jobs, life stuff. Oswald felt drawn to him in a way he had never felt before. His mother told him love felt this way, so he didn't think of any other reason for the way he felt._

_"It's been hard since she died...I mean, she wasn't very nice to me. But I still loved her. She was my mother, you know?"_

_Oswald smiled sadly and reached over to take his hand, "It's going to be ok, Jerome. I'm sure she loved you very much even if she didn't show it. You're a lovely man"_

_"Yeah...you think so?"_

_"I do"_

______

The first thing that hit Oswald when he woke was the strong smell of pollen and damp soil, followed by the sound of light beeping from a heart monitor. As his sight began to clear, Oswald glanced around the hospital room wearily, noticing the forest that had begun to form inside his hospital room. Plants were everywhere. He felt himself smile as he immediately recognised it to be Ivy's work, as no one else he knew would've done it. She had always talked about how plants had medicinal properties, and how even being surrounded by pants could make you feel better, he just wondered how she got the nurses to agree to it. To the table on his left, he saw several cards, a bouquet similar to the one he gave Fish (Though this one was entirely lilies), and a little penguin plush. 

Oswald smiled weakly as he tried to shift up his bed, but a sharp pain shot through his stomach, causing him to lay back down. His head felt foggy, as if someone was crushing it, causing his eyesight to blur slightly as he squeezed his eyes shut. He moved his hand to the place he was stabbed, sighing as he rested his hand over the wound. It all came rushing back in an instant; Jerome, being stabbed, Ed, the blood-

Martin. 

Was Martin ok? 

At the thought, his heart monitor started beeping at a slightly faster pace, and Oswald felt the anxiety fill his body. Where was his son? Did he survive? The memory of Jerome covered in the boy's blood lingered like a plague, and Oswald began to cry helplessly as he tried to sit up again, only to wince once more. He can't be dead, he can't. As the panic inside him grew and grew, he felt himself eventually slip into unconsciousness once again. 

When he woke the second time, he was no longer alone. Someone was holding his hand, sat beside his bed, unaware that he had woken until Oswald recognised the figure. 

"Ed? Ed, thank God" He whispered. 

"Oh! Oswald you're awake, I-I- are you ok?" His friend shifted the chair closer, and Oswald was able to make out his face. From the red of his face, he could tell he had been crying. 

"It hurts...but..." Gunshots in his ears, Jerome collapsing, Ed running over, "You saved me...again...how can-"

"Actually it wasn't me"

"What?"

"Your son is remarkable Oswald, he's the one who shot Jerome" 

Oswald stared at Ed confused. "But-"

"Martin used his last bit of energy to save you..." 

_Daddy killed mummy and Ollie._

_I killed him._

Martin always had such a fight in him. When he was bullied, when his dad had killed his mum and younger brother. Oswald always knew he was tough. 

"How is he? Is he ok?"

"He was stabbed 26 times...it's a miracle he survived, let alone save you" Ed paused, "He's still unconscious, but the doctors say he'll recover. Its been 2 days...but he's strong, he'll make it through" 

Looking at his hand, which was still in Ed's, he sighed and reached up to wipe his eyes, "And...Jerome...?"

"They arrested him and he's being sent to Arkham for two counts of attempted murder, domestic abuse, assault and child abuse. Jim is looking back into the murder of his parents after I told them what Martin told me. He's not coming out for a long time" 

There was a brief pause, before Oswald sniffed and mumbled out, "Ed...?"

"Yes, Oswald?"

"Please look after Martin for me until I can see him?"

Ed smiled, "Of course"

Oswald was only in hospital for a few more days, before he was allowed to leave. He was visited by Ed, Fish and Ivy while there, and they kept him updated on his son's progress and kept him company so he could take his mind off of what had happened. After being released,Oswald spent most of his time with Martin, who remained unconscious. Although he trusted his friends, some part of him didn't feel comfortable with the idea of not being there. He wanted to be there as long as he could to keep Martin safe, as he had failed to do so before. He didn't like the idea of him being alone, being without him. 

Oswald returned home when visiting hours ending, but he found that he didn't feel safe there anymore. The front room reminded him of being drugged and strangled, the bedroom reminded him of everything Jerome had done to him, and even passing Martin's room was enough to send him into a panic. His first day back, he ended up calling Ed during a panic attack, asking him if it was ok to stay at his instead. Ed had found Oswald curled up near the place he had been stabbed, crying and shaking, and Ed nearly had to carry him out. Although Oswald never opened up about his nightmares, Ed had known about them through his friend's panicked thrashing and whimpering when he slept. A lot of it seemed to revolve around Martin being hurt, though there was the odd occasion where it sounded like he was being attacked instead. It hurt him to know Oswald was in such pain, but he hoped that he could heal now Jerome was locked up. 

It was a week after the accident when Martin finally woke up.

Oswald noticed a small whimper coming from the bed, and as he had looked up he saw his son's eyes slowly fluttering open, squinting as the light hit him. And Oswald immediately burst into tears, pulling him into a hug. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry My poor baby bird" He sobbed, "I'll never let anyone hurt you again, I promise"

Martin was released a week after he had woken up after his body had mostly healed from the excessive injuries he had endured, and the two of them stayed at Ed's. His friend didn't seem to mind their presence. In fact, Ed seemed happy that he had company in his home, and had helped Martin with his homework. However, Oswald felt more like a burden. Ed had done so much for them in the last few months, it didn't seem fair that he had to also house them. No matter how many times he had tried to reassure them that they were welcomed company, Oswald didn't believe it was true. So, after a few weeks of crashing at Ed's, he decided to look for an apartment. 

It took a few months to finally get one, but eventually Oswald was able to get one not too far away from Ed's or Fish Mooney's club. Moving into their own place after all that had happened felt like a big step in the right direction. Martin could finally have his own room again instead of sleeping in Ed's bed with his dad, and Oswald was able to feel like he was his own man again. He didn't have to rely on anyone else anymore. He could live his life how he wanted.

Soon after moving house, they adopted a dog. He was a chubby little English bulldog, who, much to his father's embarrassment, Martin had named Edward. Edward was a rather lazy dog, preferring to sit on people's laps and cuddle, rather than run around. But there were few instances when the dog would enjoy chasing balls, or happily run after Martin. Nevertheless, they loved their dog no matter what he did or didn't do. 

Around the same time, Ed had managed to acquire a job in the forensics department. It was his eye for detail and Oswald's report, that helped Jim gather evidence against Jerome, and successfully prove that it was Jerome who had murdered his parents. This meant that Jerome would be stuck in Arkham for even longer, perhaps even indefinitely. When Oswald heard the news, he had cried for nearly an hour. His abuser would never get out, he will never see or hurt them again. They were free. 

Eventually, Ed had awkwardly attempted to ask Oswald out, who, with partial hesitance, said no. Although Oswald felt as if he loved Ed, for the sake of himself and for his son, he decided he wouldn't date for a while. Maybe in the future he would finally allow himself to love, but for now he wouldn't dare risk a repeat of last time. Besides, he needed time to heal to be able to trust the people in his life, now it had turned out the man he loved was a monster. If Jerome had turned out to be a monster, anyone could. Ed, instead of taking the rejection badly, had smiled at him and told him it was okay. _You don't owe anyone anything Oswald, you're free._

Several months after there release from hospital, Ed, Oswald and Martin had decided to have a day out together. With Edward trotting alongside Martin, snorting and panting as he tried to match the boys pace, the three enjoyed the peace of the park, away from the usual chaos of the city. It reminded Oswald of how lucky he was to have escaped, and now was able to enjoy life freely without fear. Jerome didn't exactly like it when he spent time outside the house other than for work or shopping, not even when he had Martin with him. It was nice to do simple things like walking in a park without the fear of being accused and having to "prove himself". 

After walking for what seemed to be hours, Ed and Martin decided to play on the field, while Oswald sat nearby as his leg had started to hurt by that point. As his son and best friend ran around the field with Edward at their heels, Oswald watched them on the grass smiling. He didn't know how he ended up with such people in his life, but he wouldn't change it for the world. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the end! Thank you to everyone who read, left kudos and commented, it means a lot to me.


End file.
